NT Reporter
Mapusa
A driver from Chandigarh escaped unhurt after his four-wheeler vehicle plunged into the river at an old ferry ramp in Corjuem, Aldona, while following Google Maps in the early hours of Monday.
The driver, Amandeep Singh Multani, a resident of Moira and originally from Chandigarh, said he was following the navigation app during heavy rain around 2 am when he accidentally drove onto the old, unused jetty and rolled into the water. “At around 2 am, it was raining heavily. Since I’m new to this area, I was following Google Maps and couldn’t differentiate between water and road. The car was moving slowly as it went onto the ramp and into the water. Luckily, the vehicle was old and had a soft top, so I could tear it open and swim out. If it was any other car, I would not have made it,” he said.
The incident came to light on Monday morning when locals noticed the vehicle. Mapusa police and fire personnel rushed to the spot. Fire-fighter Prakash Kannaik, with the help of local youths Aman, Nilesh and Yogesh, located the submerged vehicle using a fishing net and later pulled it out with a rope.
Aldona MLA Carlos Alvares Ferreira, who visited the site, said, “This ramp is not being used, and the navigation department should install cautionary signs and barriers to prevent such incidents. I advise drivers using maps to be cautious, as indications can be dangerous. I will send a note to the River and Navigation Department to install barriers so that vehicles are not allowed on these ramps and no life is lost.”
